The (base) Porsche Cayman still presses all the right buttons for me. It’s one of those cars whose sensory rewards outweigh its high price. At first blush, a $55,000 coupe with only 265 horsepower seems a little silly—you get more ponies in a base Chevrolet Camaro at half the price. But the Cayman feels quicker than many cars with more power both because of its low weight and its good midrange torque. As ever, the satisfaction in driving this Porsche isn’t derived from massive acceleration. It’s the feeling of precision that does it. The dual-clutch transmission in our test car never failed to find the right gear at the right time and react instantaneously. More important (especially for people like me who’d opt for the stick), the Cayman’s steering is more precise and communicative than any other real street car. The roads on our test loop were bumpy and wet today, and the Cayman’s steering told me exactly how much grip I had at all times. And given that this is a perfectly damped, mid-engine car, that’s always a lot. Even without the optional PASM adaptive damping, the balance of body control, grip, and compliance simply has to be experience to be believed. The metallic engine note strengthens the impression that this is a mechanical work of art. All the pieces add up to one of the great cars of our time. Big horsepower or no, it makes covering ground at high speed a low-stress experience.

Our 10Best winners will be announced in our January 2010 issue. Please check for it on newsstands on December 5.